The Big Picture

Collider’s Steve Weintraub talks with the core cast of
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
ahead of the Disney+ series premiere.
Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Kyriana Kratter, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, and Robert Timothy Smith are the actors behind this epic new Star Wars adventure.
During their interview, the young cast members share memories from set, their favorite episodes, character arc details, and what it was like working with the crew, including Episode 6 director Bryce Dallas Howard.

There’s a saying in Hollywood, “Never work with alien puppets or children…” but Star Wars: Skeleton Crew showrunners Jon Watts and Christopher Ford won the lottery with their talented core cast. In addition to Oscar-nominee Jude Law, the show hinges on the performances of four young actors, none of whom are strangers to the business. In this interview with Collider, Ryan Kiera Armstrong (Firestarter), Ravi Cabot-Conyers (Encanto), Kyriana Kratter (Bunk’d), and Robert Timothy Smith (Wolfs) prove their professionalism and passion for the show.

Set in the New Republic era, on the planet of At Attin, Fern (Armstrong), KB (Kratter), Wim (Cabot-Conyers), and Neel (Smith) stumble upon an abandoned Jedi Temple. There, they discover a mystery that launches them into the galaxy among friends and foes as they embark on their adventure back home.

Talking with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, the four protagonists discuss their real-life adventures on set with cast and crew, tease their favorite episodes and character arcs like pros, and talk about working with Episode 6 director Bryce Dallas Howard and their favorite Star Wars movies. You can watch the full conversation in the player above or read the transcript below.

The Skeleton Crew Dressed Up as the ‘Skeleton Crew’…Crew
“I didn’t catch on to the rules, so I was Michael Myers.”

COLLIDER: So, hypothetically, I could know someone who worked on the show, and they might have told me that I should ask about the onset Halloween costumes. I could see the reaction immediately. What’s the deal with the onset Halloween costumes?

RYAN KIERA ARMSTRONG: It was so much fun!

RAVI CABOT-CONYERS: It was so funny.

ROBERT TIMOTHY SMITH: I didn’t catch on to the rules, so I was Michael Myers.

ARMSTRONG: The three of us dressed up as our favorite people on set. [Laughs]

SMITH: And you were Thomas!

CABOT-CONYERS: I was Jon Watts, the director. I pulled up with headphones and a coffee cup and his beard and his iconic blue jacket, white T-shirt and beige pants.

Image via Sony

ARMSTRONG: It was so good. He had a mustache and everything.

CABOT-CONYERS: I had a mustache and a beard and the Starbucks cup and the headset. If you saw Jon Watts every single day for seven months, you’d know that it’s a very iconic outfit.

ARMSTRONG: He totally embodied him, too. I was Thomas, who was our AD on set.

SMITH: She was great. Thomas would always do this thing where he would stop, do this, and she would do it perfectly.

ARMSTRONG: I had an earpiece, too, and the walkie.

KYRIANA KRATTER: And you had a mustache. I was Catfish, the boom guy.

CABOT-CONYERS: So, Catfish was our boom operator.

KRATTER: I got, like, a feather duster as the boom, and I got boy shorts, a graphic T-shirt, and a backwards hat. It was really fun.

I hope you took pictures.

CABOT-CONYERS: We took so many pictures.

I hope you post on social once the show is out.

Keep an Eye Out for These ‘Skeleton Crew’ Episodes
Image via Disney+

The series is eight episodes. For each of you, which episode is your favorite and why?

SMITH: I know we haven’t seen them yet, but I think my favorite episode will be Episode 4, which is kind of like “my” episode. It talks a little bit more about Neel than other episodes. It’s more centered around him, I would say, and I just think it’s a good story, too.

KRATTER: For me, it has to be Episode 6. I think that episode is also more centered around my character, KB, but it’s also a big moment where she’s growing and she’s really finding her voice. I thought that was a really special episode. And also, this guy, [Cabot-Conyers].

CABOT-CONYERS: I would say Episode 8 because I liked the vibe. Not too much I can say, but the vibe. [Laughs]

Jon and Chris were telling me that Episode 8 answers a lot. It’s a big episode.

ARMSTRONG: It is a really big character development episode for all of us, and all of us going through our own challenges and coming together in the end. It’s definitely also my favorite, as well. I had a blast filming that episode.

Without spoilers, which shot or sequence making the show ended up being the toughest for each of you?

SMITH: I’m really trying not to become the Tom Holland of the show.

I wanna take a moment and say props. [Laughs]

CABOT-CONYERS: Honestly, I thought it was really smooth, the shooting process. I thought it was all really smooth and there weren’t too many issues during the emotional scenes. The directors were so generous and and so giving to make sure we got our time to get into the intense circumstances. I felt I felt that was pretty smooth. But a lot of the stunts were so much fun. There were some that were a bit intense, but it was very fun.

SMITH: Can I bounce off of that a little bit?

CABOT-CONYERS: Of course.

SMITH: The stunts were a little challenging because either they were really weird stunts or there would be a wire, and if you don’t know, the wire kind of hooks up around this area, so it’s like a wedgie, basically. And you’re just kind of hanging there, and you’re just like, “Oh god, when’s lunch?”

CABOT-CONYERS: That is true.

KRATTER: [Laughs] Oh my gosh.

ARMSTRONG: Without trying to give anything away, there was one scene, and I had to do a lot of yelling. I was just really screaming a lot in this particular episode, and I lost my voice. I drank so much tea that day I got sick of it.

KRATTER: It was pretty easy when we were filming, especially with Bryce [Dallas Howard]. She gave me a lot of creative freedom to do what I wanted.

Related Bryce Dallas Howard Gives an Out-of-This-World Update on ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ Bryce Dallas Howard is one of many talented directors to helm an episode of the highly anticipated series.

Oh, she helmed Episode 6.

KRATTER: Yes, and with Bryce, I was like, “Could I try it this way?” And she was like, “Oh, yeah! Just go for it. Just do it.” And I love that. She’s also an actress and so she knew how to work with us, and I loved her.

CABOT-CONYERS: Definitely a good mentor.

Which Star Wars Movie Resonates With Younger Generations?
Image via Lucasfilm

You guys are obviously a lot younger than me, and you’ve grown up with Star Wars in a different way than I grew up with it. I’m so curious for each of you, do you have a favorite Star Wars movie and what is it? I’m curious from your younger perspective.

SMITH: My favorite movie is A New Hope. I just think it’s a really great movie, honestly. It starts off the series really great, it introduces everybody to it. I may be wrong, but when that movie came out, did it say Episode IV?

No, it just said Star Wars , and they added Episode IV: A New Hope after they started making more.

SMITH: Okay because I was gonna be like, “That would be kind of interesting because you’d be like, ‘Oh, what are these other episodes?’” Anyway, I just like. I just thought it was a great story. It introduced some of the greatest heroes and villains — Darth Vader — of all time.

You’re 100% right.

CABOT-CONYERS: Definitely.

For the rest of you guys?

CABOT-CONYERS: A New Hope’s got to be my favorite, too.

ARMSTRONG: The Empire Strikes Back.

CABOT-CONYERS: Yeah, us three are hip, and she’s always like, “The Empire Strikes Back!”

There’s actually been a lot of debate for years and years since 1980 over which is better, Star Wars or Empire , and there’s honestly no right answer.

SMITH: There isn’t!

CABOT-CONYERS: It’s based on preference.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew premieres Episodes 1 and 2 on December 2.

Four kids make a mysterious discovery on their home planet that leads them to get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy.Creator Cast Jude Law , Ravi Cabot-Conyers , Ryan Kiera Armstrong , Kyriana Kratter , Robert Timothy Smith , Tunde Adebimpe , Kerry Condon , Nick Frost Franchise Streaming Service(s) Dis Franchise(s) Star Wars Expand